Package-wrapping machine



June 29 1926. 1,590,366

P. H. GRIMM El AL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1921 15 Sheets-Sheet l 6mm. JMXK trey June 29 1926. 1,590,366

P. H. GRIMM ET AL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1921 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 a 2 Nu N Q 09 [NV NTORS:

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By Allorneys,

June 29 1926. 1,590,366

P. H. GRIMM ET AL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 7, 1921 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS By Attorneys,

a'Aa/am A MM 0" W June 29 1926. 1,590,366

P. H. GRIMM ET AL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1921 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 15 Sheets-Sheet 5 P. H. GRIMM El AL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan June 29 1926.

June 29 1926.

P. H. GRIMM ETAL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2 1921 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 MP I F (I L awuemfo W V f r y $5133 elbfom fia, 4 6

June 29 1926.

1,590,366 P. H. GRIMM ET AL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1921 15 Sheets-Sheet 7 my," c7

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June 29 1926. 1,590,366

P. H. GRIMM EI'AL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1921 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 June 29 1926.

1,590,366 P. H. GRIMM ETAL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 7. 1921 15 Sheets-sheaf 9 June 29 1926. 1,590,366

P. H. GRIMM ET AL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1921 15 Sheets-Sheet 1o 1 -II 3 n E L 15 Sheets-Sheet ll P H GRIMM ETAL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE F'lled Jan 27 1921 June 29 1926.

June 29 1926.

P. H. GRIMM EI'AL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1921 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 3 I m my 15 Sheets-Sheet 13 P. H. GRIMM ETAL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2 1921 June 29 1926.

June 29 1926.

P. H. GRIMM ETAL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1921 15 Sheets-Sheet 14 van to no June 29 1926.

1,590,366 P. H. GRlMM El AL PACKAGE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1921 15 Sheets-Sheet 15 awe anew.

Che/awry Q M 4 W Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITED STATES PAUL I. am, GLEN COVE, AND FRANK L. COCKS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,

LSSIGHOBS TO ABBUCKLE BROTHERS, 01? NEW YORK, N. Y., A FIRE COMPRISING WILLILE A. IAMIBON, CATHERINE A. JAHISON, AND GHBIBTDIA ABBUCKLE.

PACKAGE-WRAPIING MACHINE.

A lication filed January 87, 1821. Serial 80. 0,378.

This invention relates to machines for applying an outer wrapper around a package. The invention is in part applicable to machines for applying wrappers around suitably shaped objects or articles of manufacture, or around cartons containing goods. The improved machine is, however, designed especially for applying an outer wrapping of impervious material, such as waxed paper, around paper packages of slightly varying sizes containing goods in bu k, such, for example, as cofi'ee or Sugar which has been weighed and packa ed. The specific exterior wrapper for which the maciine is designed is of so-called glassine paper, which is treated with a starchy compound to render it impervious and semitransparent, the purpose of which is to preserve the contents of the package against the escape of moisture from within, as well as against the efiect of dampness entering from without.

It is desirable to apply such an exterior wrapping snugly and firmly around the enclose package, so as to leave no loose portion of the treated paper such as might by its projection become caught and torn. Such paper is made thin, so as to be as light and as nearly transparent as possible, whereby to permit the printed matter on the enclosed package to be easily read through it, so that it is necessarily somewhat fragile and easily punctured or torn. The more closely it is stretched around the package without, however, straining it, the better t e protects the fragile wraps the packages vary somethcre is some difiicult in applying the wrap er in every case wit equal snugiiess aroun the package; certain features of the present invention are di rected to the overcoming of this difliculty. Other features will be developed as the description proceeds.

T e accompan 'ing drawings illustrate a machine embody ng the invention designe primarily for wrappin packages of ground notice of uniform weig t in a wrapping o lassine paper or similar semi-transparent impervious thin material.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the maeiiciosed package 'pei' from in ury.

what in dimensions,

(1 end folds an ghine, partly broken away in vertical sec- Fig. 2 is a planet the machine,

broken away in horizontal section;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the machine,

portions being broken away in vertical secion;

Fig. is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating certain parts of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a partia transverse section on a larger scale, looking in the same direction as partly Fig. 3;

i 6 is a vertical transverse section on the line 6-45 in Fig. 7, through the mechanism for inserting a folded circular within the wrapper;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7-7 in Fig. 5, through the magazine holdin such circulars;

ig. 8 is a section in a plane longitudi' nally of the machine and transverse to the plane of Fig. 5, on the line 8-8 therein;

Fig. 9 is a lan, being an enlargement of a portion of ig. 2, but in section on a lower plane, the plane of the section being approximately in icated by the line 9-9 in ig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a 'lan of one of the parts of Fi 9, detach ig. 10 is a vertical section of a portion of the machine, being in effect a fragment of Fig. 1 in section on nearly the same plane;

Fig. 11 is a vertical transverse section of the machine showin the means for operatin the lock-seamnfo deit'ls;f d

ig. 12 is an e or re enter etail of one of the lock-sea iii folde i y Fig. 12 is a similar fra mentary detail of the opposite end portion t ereof;

Fig. 13 is a transverse section on the line 13-13 in Fig. 12;

Figs. 14 and 15 are transverse sections of the fingers p p, Fig. 12;

Fig. 16 is a plan of a portion of the machine showin the means for heating the for applying adhesive,

Fig. 17 is a vertica transverse section of the mechanism for applying adhesive and for afiixing end labels;

Fig. 18 is a similar section showing the parts in a diii'erent position;

ontheline21in F 19 is 1. ion of the label-afinng' mes: partly in diirizontal section;

Fig. 20isaplan ofonepoclret,p y in horizontal section with a fragment of the chain and guide rails;

Fig. 21 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 20 gig in vertical section,

Fig. 22 is a side elevation of chain feed mechanism shown at the right in Fig. 1, the parts being on a larger scale and shown in a different position;

23 is a rear end elevation (oorres n ing to Fig. 3) of the parts shown in Fig. 2'4 is a rear elevation part1 in vertical section, of the arts for driving the perforated coin re air pads;

Fig. 24' is a ragmentary view show ng in section one of these pads and its ad acent artsp Fig. 25 is an elevation corresponding, to Fig. 1,'showing the end folders and t eir driving mechanisms;

Fig. 26 is a plan of the bottom end folder and its drivin means, shown at the lower part of Fig. 2

Fig. 27 is a plan showing the means for driving the to folder plates and gap bridge plate, and Ice -fold flattening min;

Fig. 28 shows in elevation, looking from the rear the mechanism for operating the gap bri e plate j ig. 29 is a vertical transverse section, looking from the front, of the means for operating the rear folding plate A;

Fig. 30 is a vertical transverse section showing the means for operating the fingers 81 is a vertical transverse section showing the means for operatng the shears; Fig. 32 is a vertical transverse section showing the means for operating the label margarine carrier;

ig. 83 is a vertical transverse section showing the means for reciprocating the end fold heaters;

Fig. 34 is a plan, partly in horizontal section, showing certain of the mechanism for operating the and folders;

Fig. 35 is a side elevation answering to Fig. 1, art-1y in section showing part of the me anism for feeding the strip of wrappin material;

Fig. 8 is a fr mentary front end elevation of the ma c 'iine, part1 in vertical section, showing a portion of a feed mechanism shown in Fig. 85, on a. larger scale;

Figs. 87, 38, 89, 40 and 41 are fragmentary views, bein sectional vertical mid-sections correspon mg to Fig. 10 and showing the successive operations performed on the package in the first wrapping position;

Fig. 42 is a perspective view showing the wra aclra its end label be shown in @iifi'imf" Fig; 48 is a detail of the plates for holdmg": and flaps folded.

'le the machine thus illustrated may be useful for wrapping articles or packages of various shapes and characters yet it is articular-l desi ed and adapted for rarming the di cult work of the unif rm wrappi of more or lem ielding of gran or material whi vary slightly in their dimensions. The variations in size of such packs. which, coming from a weighmg and pan mg machine, have imiform weight, are due to differences in specific gravity or other causes, whereby packages of wei ht vary from time to time in their cubica contents. Such variations are f nite noticeable when the packed material is coffee, and in packages of one pound weght, which are made of closely uniform wi th and leugltlh, so that the variations whichpccur in e thickness of the package (1 0., its height when laid in its normal position) amount to as much as three-oi hths of an inch. The roblem resented, erefore is to handle t pacEages of varying tluc ess i n such manner as to apply the wrapper with equal snugness and in equally neat manner, notwithstanding such variations in size of the package.

e general nature of the machine here illustrated maglbe best understood by a description of t e operations which it performs, without regard to thespecific mechanisms which will e described in detail hereinafter.

The packages of coifee to be wrapped are fed into the machine, as by a suitable conveyor belt. The wrapper (waxed or lassine aper) is drawn from a roll and vanced intermittently onto a table or support a sufiicient length for one wra per being cut 05, and this wrapper being eld momentarily on such table. While so held, a paclra e of cofl'ee is fed to a position over this tab e, onto a yielding support, such as spring wings, where it rests temporarily. \Vhile in t 18 position a folder or circular (or a card or other thing to be inserted between the package and wrapper) is fed from a magesame or stack and delivered onto the top of the packs to be subsequently wrapped in between t e acka e and wrapper. The package is t on greed downward b a plunger descending from above, which ushes it down between the wings or tra Score and into a pocket located just beneath the table; dnri this movement the wrapper is folded arouii three sides of the packa e, leaving it with two flaps upstanding. e upstsndin flaps are then folded down over the top 0 the package by folders or slides which advance from opposite sides (front and rear), folding down first one and then the other of the flaps, so that they lie down over the top of the package, thus forming the per wrapper into an open-ended tu upped sides of which are unconnected. The overla ing flaps of the wra per are then folde gather to form a loc fold or so-called druggists fold, which is done b two pairs 0 fingers (called twisters l which move from beyond the ends of the package toward the center, embracing the two flaps of pa er between them, and whic then turn toget er for a half revolut1on or more to ma e the lock fold. In maki this fold the paper is drawn snugly aroun the slack in the wrapper. The Ice fold is completed b a folder on the front side advancing to atten the lock fold and hold it from unfoldin as this folder advenues. engaging first t e middle of the lock fold, the respective pairs of fingers reoede, the top folder simu taneously movin orward and flattening the fold as the ngers release it. The pocket then moves forwar to a succeeding station, where the next operntions are performed; during this move ment the top folder and a continuing stationary plate hold the lock fold against unfolding. At the next station plungers enter the ends of the wrapper from oppopush the fpac age mto an exactly central position i it has become dislaced therefrom. On these plungers receding, the pocket again moves forward to the next station. At this station the ends of the wrapper are folded by a successiomof folders, comprising first lateral folders which move in from opposite sides; second, a foldor which moves down from above; and. finally a folder which moves upward from beneat these folders are duplicated at opposite ends, so that both ends are folded in simultaneously. As the last fold is completed, hot irons advance against the opposite ends and hold the folds from unfolding while the folders reocde, and then advance and press against the ends of the package, with the result of softening the wax or other reparation in the paper, and rendering the olded end flaps limp, or setting them In their folded condition, so that they will not spring open. cket is then advanced to the next station. xed guides engaging the end flaps and holding them from unfo ding during this movement. Labels or seals are then applied to the opposite ends of the package to seal down the end flaps. This is best accomplished by first causin pads to which a thin coating of paste or g ue has been applied, to press against the ends of the package: as t ese recede, plun ers advance and ress gummed labels or sea 5 against the end gaps, so that each label adheres to the end flaps and holds them closed together, Each the fingers descending as thefi p label-utilising device comprises a label-holdmg cartridge or ma aziue which is carried by a plunger and contains a stack of labels ressed forward by an internal spring, the end label being pul ed out at each movement by its adhesion to the end of the package. The next advance movement of the pocket carries the ends of the iackage between plates which extend along t 1e path of travel and guide the ends of the packages, and at each stopping point or station the ends came against air at roses or pads which subject the end ups to pressure for a Suflicient time to insure the adhesion of the labels. This end pressure may be given by comressed air jets, or b movable pads which press against the en s, and press the labels against the end flaps. This end pressure is repeated durin several successive advance movements of t 0 pocket, to afford suflicicnt time to securely sea the wra )PGIS to the ends of the package. Finally, t 10 pocket carrying the wrapped package comes opposite an eJectlng plunger which slides the package endwise out of the pocket onto a conveyor belt which carries it away.

The machine the 0 )orations of which are thus briefly described, includes a succession of intermittentlrmoving pockets for bold ing the successive packages and advancing them to the successive stages at which the operations are performed. These pockets are connected together and advanced by an endless carrier of suitable character, such, for example, as an endless chain. The machine eomprises mechanisms for giving the described movements to the operating devices in properly timed relation.

The machine will now be described with reference first to its operative elements or those which directly act upon the package and wrapper; and later the mechanisms for imparting the requisite movements to these operative elements will be described.

The packages o o to be wrapped are brought to the machine in any suitable mannor, as by a conveyor belt b (Fig. 2), and are successlvely pushed a reciprocating pusher 0 along a supporting trough d until the end package arrives at the middle of the machine directly over a pair of wings or trap doors e e whic serve as a temporary support for the package in the position shown in Fig. 1.

The waxe or other wrapping paper f is drawn from a roll f (Fig. l) and carried over guiding ulleys g between feed rollers h h which revolve intermittently to advance the paper, and the advancing ar is slid over a table A on which, ai ter each feeding operation, the Ipaper rests. the

ropcr length being out o by shears B.

o prevent displacement of the severed sheet constituting the wra er, it is held at suitable points, prefers. y near its four coris forced downwar ners, b ieldin a: 5'. These ressmovement f the I pacin d d ofithep: rsttheeiidof downthroii ghtl'uig a gh 3' them b the first wra pin movement to be urin this movement onto the has 0 y then fifted before the C of the pocket, andby a continued i ti e- 7 A series of pockets or receptacles C O are by the wra peer is carried around a botconnfited bay ll: enttllless chain D or other tomkaand tltii cg suits e in rmi ten y-moving carrier, and pac ge an left with its fla ro'ecting is are guided by guides E. Each pocket has upward. These 0 stations a r: 110 170 in a movable false bottom C. In the initial Figs. 37 and 38, former showing the position a pocket stands directly beneath the packs bein ushed down between the package a in Fig. 1, with its false bottom trap oors, an tielatter show' 3 the elevated. age fully seated in the pocket. w: the 80 The table A has at its middle a gap or flaps f f" of the wrapper pro upopening (FIE. 10g directly beneath the packward, and the plunger m at w ich the acka e may be out of the way of the next operations. 0

moved down into the pm: at. the prefalse bottom C is sustained frictionally ferred construction shown, the primary and and moves down a dis ance depending n n 86 secondary platforms constituting the table the precise thickness of the package, so t at. on opposite sides of said gap are formed of the stroke of the in or m being uniform. plates A and A res ectlvcl which have the upper side 0 ea package also the function of up fold: as will be left at a uniform height, so that it is described later. During the fe ing of the erly resented for the action of the folders paper these plates A A are stationary, the whic will form the lock scam told t be late A being dropped to a slightly lower described. An construction whereby the have! than the plate A. During the feedfalse bottoms cl are b i of the paper the gap between them frictional res stance to their descent, will is iridgod by a slldebj vhlcl} fonEs a temacliomphah this imfilortant purpgse porar sup ort or n go or t e paper nstan y u on e acka av bee whilc it is ing fed forward, and the adthhs deposited to p 86 vancing edge of which carries the apcr to 'n rs n n begin to enter t 0 gap in the a level slightly above the top of t e plate tabs from opposite sides of the machine, A, so that the feed of the advancing ed e com leting their advancing movements 100 of the paper over this after-section of t e whi e the plunger m is second The table is insured. The bridge slide j begins function of these fingers is to aifo a in to draw back just after the edge of the paport above the package on which to fod per has crossed the gap, and completes its down the flaps f f", as will be described. return movement while the paper is still The package should have been deposited advancing, having moved back out of the in exactly central position in the pocket; way just before the pad-(84%: is pushed down but as the packages may va in is it, through the gas in the ta lo.

If it is desire to introduce a sheet, folder, wit circular, card or other object between the the package while thus lyin idly in the package and its wrapper, this is best done pocket, is, 1 while the acka e is resting on the trap a pair of plungers o a (Fig. 5 which a doors e int c pos tion shown in Fig. I. The proach from opposite sides to e positions by n. reciprocating slide )5: and carried over of the package, and remain in this position, the package a, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, holding the packaFe between them until the receding movement of the shdck leaving the completion of tie flap folding and lock the circular l lyin on top of the package seam folding operations to be ascribed, and beneath the p r nger m. whereby to prevent any displacement of the in time to move clear of tween them. the protruding ends of the wrap r before These trap doors are normal y upheld by the next advancing morement of rings a with sufficient strength to carry The next operation IS the folding down lie weight of the (package until the latter of the u standing flaps. The fingers n n S l, by the plunger. The having a ready moved into the gap over the till ' held in \LIDOJBO package. as already described, the first flap f is folded down onto the fingers n by a forward movement of the platform or table sect on A which constitutes a folding plate or folder and which advances horizontally and lays down the flap f that upon the tingers n. Meanwhile the second table section .A' has been rising to a level just ubove the top of the su porting fingers it. As the folder plate comes to rest, the folder plate A begins to advance. and continues to advance. thus folding down the flap f" and stopping with the two folders in the positions shown in Fig. 39, the respective flaps f f" lving one on to of the other. These flaps being thus lei down against the rs n n. the wra per encloses a space some-w at larger than t e package. At this stage the wrapper forms an open-ended tube,

the supe osed flaps on top being merely I a lime temporarily between the tingers n beneath. and the folder plates A A above: these elements dwell in this position during the advance of the lock folders next to be described.

Theleupon the lock seam folders F F advnnce from opposite sides of the machine. These folders consist each of a pair of fingets 7) 11' carried by an oscillatory spindle r, which is mounted on a slide G which moves it longitudinally of the package. The special construction of these parts will be described later. As the folders F F advance from beyond the ends of the wrapper, they are s rightly separated and receive the superposed flaps f f" between them. When fully advanced, so that they approach each other to about the extent shown in Fig. 9, the fingers close together so as to grasp or lightly grip the two flaps. This is best accomplished by giving the fingers a relative rotary movement of a few degrees. so that their edges come together on one side, as shown in Fig. 15.. but may be otherwise dame; flVVhenhthpi folders have thus "rip tie a s t e nger supports in re- FedePlind at the same time the folder plates A and A are retracted, leaving the an rposed flaps held only by the grip of the ock seam folders. These folders F F then execute simultaneously a rotary movement (of at least a half turn and preferably as much as a three-fourths turn) in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 41, by which they roll together the two flaps f f" to form the lock fold on the top of the wrapper. In the rolling operation. since the flaps are gri ped between the two fingers, the first effect is to pull up any slack in the wrapper and contract it snugly around the packs At the beginning of this movement t e folders stand somewhat above the package, as best shown in Fig. 40; and simultaneously with the rotation of the folders (or it might occur previously), they are caused to move down bodily, so that at the end of the rotary movement they lie close a inst the top of the ackage, as shown in 10, so that the slnc taken up by the rolling of the fold is largely com folders to t e package. Accordm to the precise size of the package it w ordinarily occur during this rol ing movement that the flaps, upon the wra or being tightened around t e package, wil milling through t9 a greater or less extent tween the gripping surfaces of the fin rs of the folders. The pressure with wgi eh the flaps are gripped is just sullicient to serve to draw the wra per snugly around the package, but not so eient to prevent the pulling through of the flaps after the wrapper has been drawn taut. By this means the same mechanism is adapted, without any necessity for adjustment, for wrapping it packages of varying size, that is to say, which vary in peripheral measurement; with a package of maximum size the wrapper is drawn taut about the package sooner,

and the slipping throu h of the wra r tl'ian wi MEN flaps continues lon r, th e p of smaller dimension. Upon the com etion of this rolling movement the fol ers begin to recede, drawing out endwise while still holding the flaps gripped frictionally between their fin rs.

At the beginning of this receding movement a folding blade or slide q (called a seam ironer) advances over the rolled portion of the wrapper and resses it down flat to complete the lock fol and remains overlying it to hold this fold against loosening. The slide, which flattens or irons the fold, co-operabes with the folders F F by being shaped to engage first the middle of WI the roll between the ends of the folde and to continually engage a greater laugh of the roll as it advances and as the elders recede. To accomplish this it is made of somewhat V-shape, its middle portion pro- 'ecting in advance of its side portions, as

t shown in Fig. 27, the sloping sides being of such angle as to ride over e roll or fold at the same speed as the folders irecede, so that it flattens first the middle pertion of the roll and extends the flattening efi'ect progressively toward both ends, completin it b the time the folders have move sli ht y beyond the ends of the enclosed pac age. The folders F continue to recede until they have passed entirely beyond the ends of the wrapper, whereupon, efore their next advance, they are separated and are rotated backward to their starting point, and simultaneously are lifted to their original elevation, ready for their next operation. As soon as the folders F have released their hold upon the flaps, the plunger-s a o are quickly retracted to carry them beyond the ends of the wrapper out nsated by the approach of the 7 1 yield by 75 

